woman who thereby looseth her fame it hurteth the childe which is borne a bastard it doth injurie to Christ for we being all members of Christ hee that committeth fornication maketh the member of Christ the member of an harlot Finally hee doth injurie to the Holie Ghost for that our bodies are the temple of the Holie Ghost and so he that defileth his bodie with fornication defileth the temple of the Holie Ghost S Doth this sixt commandement forbid any other thing besides these kinds of sin which you haue named M It forbiddeth also al other dishonesties which are as allurements to adultery or fornication as lasciuious lookes vnchaste kissing and the like And so our Lorde taught vs in in the holie Gospel where declaring this sixt Commandement he saith Whosoeuer shall see a woman to lust after her hath already committed aduoutrie with her in his heart And therfore it is necessarie to those that will flie from such sinnes to haue great care of their outwarde senses and especially of their eyes which are as doores whereby death of the soule entreth Of the seuenth Commandement S VVHat doth the seuenth coÌ„mandement contain M It containeth the prohibition of theeft that is to take the goodes of an other againste the will of the owner And so in right order theft is forbiden after murder and adulterie For that amongst temporal or worldlie things next to life honour or honestie is estemed then the goodes or riches of this world S How manie wayes is this seuenth commandement broken M Two waies principally to which al others are reduced The first way is by taking an others goods secretly and this is properly called theft The second principal way is by taking an others goods openly and by force as robbers do by the highway and this is called roberie And albeit the commandement of God speaketh of the first saying Thou shalt not steale yet it is vnderstood also of the second for he that forbiddeth the lesse euil without doubt forbiddeth also the greater S What be the sinnes which are reduced to theft and roberie and are for bid by this commandement M They are these First al the frauds deceipts which are vsed in buying selling and other like bargaynes And these are reduced to theft because he that vseth such deceipts taketh secretly of his neighbours more then is due Secondly al vsuries which are made by lending of money with couenant that it shal be restored with something more And these are reduced to roberie because he that taketh vsurie exacteth manifestly more theÌ„ he hathlent Thirdly al the damages which are done to our neighbour though he that is the occasion thereof gaine nothing thereby As when one burneth an other mans house And this is reduced sometimes to theft and sometimes to roberie according as the harme is done secretly or manifestly Fourthly he that payeth not that he is bouud to pay sinneth against this commandement as much as if hee should steale in that hee keepeth an other mans goods against the wil of the owner Fiftly he sinneth against the same commandement and committeth theft that findeth any thing that an other hath lost and taketh it for himselfe I say that an other hath lost because it is not sinne to take that which belonged to no bodie As pretious stones which sometimes are found by the sea side Sixtly it is reduced to theft or to robberie wheÌ„ one appropriateth to himselfe anie thing which is common For he that doth appropriate thinges that are common depriueth the communitie of such things as belong to the whole bodie S I desire to know if theft be a great sinne M All mortall sinnes may bee called great for that they depriue a man of eternall life but theft hath this propertie that it bringeth greatest euils with it for we see that Iudas by the custome he had to steale appropriating to himselfe that was giuen him for the common vse of our Lord and his holie Apostles it brought him in the ende to betray his owne most holie Master And we see dailie that robbers sticke not to kill men whom they neuer did see before and to whom they haue no hatred nor enmitie onely for dedesire to take from them that more or lesse which they carry about theÌ„ God permitteth that coÌ„monly those which take froÌ„ other men enjoy it not long as it fel to Iudas who hanged himself al thieues ordinarily fal into the hands of justice Of the eight Commandement S VVHat doth the eight commandement containe M Hitherto hath been spoken of injuries which are committed against our neighbour in deedes now follow the iniuries which are done by wordes And therefore the eight commandement forbiddeth false witnes which is the most principal iniurie that is committed with wordes S I would know whether it bee against this commandement when one speaketh that is false without harme to any man M One may speake that is false three maner of waies First with damage to our neighbour as when one accuseth an other before the iustice that he hath stollen or killed or the like knowing that it is not true And this is a wicked and pernitious lie Secondly to helpe or excuse his neighbour as when one telleth a lie to saue an other from some danger And this is called an officious lie Thirdly when one telleth a lie without either harming or helping any man And this is called an idle lie The first of all these three maners is properly forbidden by this commandement because it is not onely a false testimonie but vniust also a most grieuous sinne The other two maners albeit they contain not alwaies iustice and are not so grieuous sinnes as the first yet they are alwaies sinnes at the least venial For that a lie ought not to bee tolde for any thing in the world S Doth this precept containe any thing besids the prohibitioÌ„ of a lie M It containeth the prohibition of three other sinnes which are committed by the tongue and in some sorte are reduced to false witnesse which are Contumelie Detraction and Cursing S What 〈◊〉 â—eante by Contumelie M A Contumelie is an iniurious worde spoken to the dishonour or discredite our neighbour As if one saye to an other that he is ignorant or of litle wit base infamous or the like And that this is a great sinne being spoken with an injurious meaning our Sauiour declareth in the holy Gospel where he saith that he that calleth his brother foole shal be guiltie of hel fire I said when it is spoken with an injurious minde for when it is spoken in iest or to admonish or correct as sometimes a father speaketh to his childe or a master to his Scholar without meaning to iniurie him then it is not coÌ„tumely nor any sin for most parte but sometimes it may be a venial sin S What is detraction M Detraction is to take away the fame of our neighbour in speaking euill of him And this iâ— done either
that the holie Ghost did this worke of the Incarnation Did not the Father and the Sonne also concurre therein M That which one Diuine Person worketh the other two worke likewise the same because they haue one and the same power wisdome and goodnesse yet notwithstanding the workes of power be attributed vnto the Father those of wisdome vnto the Son those of loue vnto the Holie Ghost and because this was a worke of the highest loue of God towards mankinde it is therefore attributed vnto the holy ghost S I would haue some example to vnderstand how all the three diuine Persons haue concurred to the Incarnation and yet the Sonne is onlie Incarnate M WheÌ„ one man putteth on a garment two others do help to cloth him three do then concur to the clothing of him yet one only is clothed so all the three diuine Persons concur to worke the Incarnation of the Sonne of God but onely the Sonne is incarnate and made man S Wherefore is it added in the article Borne of the Virgin Marie M Because in this also there is a strange mysterie that is that the Sonne of God came foorth of the wombe of his Mother at the end of the ninth moneth without paine or harme of his said Mother not leauing any signe there at all euen as hee did when rising from death he went out of the close Sepulchre and when he entred and went foorth of the chamber where his Disciples were the doores being shut there vpon it is saide that the mother of our Lord Iesus Christ was alwaies a Virgin before his birth in his birth and after his birth Of the fourth Article S VVHat meaneth that which followeth in the fourth article Hee suffered vnder Pontious Pilate was crucified dead buried M This Article conteineth the most profitable mysterie of our redemption and the summe is that Christ after he had conuersed in this world about thirtie three yeares and had taught with his most holy life his doctrine and his miracles the way of saluation was vnjustly caused by Pontius Pilate who was gouernour of Iewrie to be whipped and nayled vpon a Crosse vpon the which hee dyed and by certaine holy men was buried S Concerning this mysterie there do occurre vnto me some doubts I desire by you to be cleered of theÌ„ to the end I may be the more grateful vnto God for so great a benefite by how much I shall the better vnderstand it Tell me then if Christ be the Sonne of God omnipotent how happened it that he was not deliuered by his Father out of the handes of Pilate Or rather if the same Christ be God wherefore did hee not deliuer himselfe M Christ could if hee would haue deliuered himselfe by a thousande meanes out of the handes of Pilate Yea more the whole world had not bin able to do him any euil if he had not bin willing and this is clearely seene because he knew foretolde vnto his Disciples that the Iewes would seeke to put him to death that they would whippe him stone him and finallie kill him Yet he did not hide himselfe but went to meete his enemies And when they sought to take him and knew him not hee said vnto them himselfe hee was that man for whom they sought at which time also they al faling backwards as dead meÌ„ he did not depart thence as he might haue done but expected permitted them to recouer theÌ„selues after he suffred him selfe to be taken bound led like a meeke Lambe where they would S For What cause did Christ being innocent suffer him selfe to be vniustly crucified and slaine M For manie reasons But the principal reason was to satisfie vnto God for our sinnes For you haue to know that the offence is measured according to the dignitie of him who is offended and contrariewise the satisfaction is measured according to the dignitie of him who doth satisfie as for example if a seruant should geue his Prince a blow it should be esteemed a most greeuous offence according to the greatnes of the prince but if a prince should giue his seruant a blowe it were a smal matter according to the base estate of the seruant And contrariwise if a seruant take off his cappe vnto his Prince it is but little esteemed but if the Prince should take off his vnto his seruant it would be a notable fauour according to the rule we speake of Now because the first man and with him al we haue offended God who is of so infinite dignitie the offence did require infinite satisfaction and because there was neither man nor Angel of so great dignitie therefore the Sonne of God came who being God and of infinite dignitie hauing taken mortal flesh in the same flesh he submitted him selfe for the honour of God to the death of the Crosse and so satisfied with his paines for our faults S What other cause is there for which Christ would suffer so bitter a death M To teach vs by his example the vertues of Patience Humilitie Obedience and of Charitie which are foure vertues signified in the foure extreame parts of the Crosse because greater patience can not be found then to suffer vniustly so ignominious a death nor greater humilitie then for the Lord of all Lordes to submit him selfe to be crucified betwixt thieues nor greater obedience then to be willing rather to die then not to fulfil the commandement of his Father nor greater charitie then to yeeld his life to saue his enimies And you must know that Charitie is more shewed in deedes then in wordes more in suffering then in doing And so Christ who would not only bestow vpon vs infinit benifits but suffer also die for vs hath shewed that he loueth vs most ardently S Seeing Christ is God and man as you saied before and it semeth that God can not suffer nor die how do we then say that he suffered and died M Christ being God and man can suffer not suffer die not die for in that he is God could neither suffer nor die but as he is man he could both suffer and die and therefore I â—old you that being God hee was made man to satisfie for our sinnes suffering the paines of death in his most holie flesh which he could not haue done if he had not been man S If Christ haue satisfied his Father for the sinnes of all men whence â—ommeth it that so many are damned that we haue neede to doe penance for our sinnes M Christ hath satisfied for the sins â—f all men but it is necessarie to apâ—lie this satisfaction in particular to â—his man and to that man which is one by faith by the Sacraments by good workes and particularlie by penance therefore we haue neede â—o do penance other good works though Christ haue suffered and wrought for vs And the cause that many are daÌ„ned or remaine enemies to God is for that either they
wil not haue faith as Iewes Turkes Heritikes or because they wil not receiue the Sacraments as those that wil not be baptised or wil not confesse their sinnes or wil not do such penance as they can for their sins nor resolue to liue conformably to the law of God S I would haue some example to vnderstand this M Take the example of one which should take great paines and with sweate and labours should gaine so much money as were sufficient to pay al the debts of this citie and should put the same in a bank to the end it should be geuen vnto al such as should bring a warant from him this man surely had satisfied for al somuch as lieth in him yet manie might remaine stil in debt for that they would not either for pride or for slouth or for some other cause demand his warant and carie it to the bank to receiue the money S What signifieth He descended into hel and what doth hel signifie in this place M Hel is the lowest deepest place in this world to wit the midle of the earth And the Scripture in manie places putteth heauen as opposite vnto hel as the highest place vnto the lowest But in this depth of the earth there are foure as it were great caues one for the damned which is the deepest of al and so it is agreable that the proud Diuels and the men which imitate them be in the lowest place and furthest from heauen that can be In the second caue which is something higher are those soules which suffer the paines of Purgatorie In the third which is yet higher are the soules of those children that die with out Baptisme who do not suffer torments of fire but onely the perpetuall priuation of eternall felicity In the fourth which is the highest remained the soules of the Patriarchs Prophets and other Holie men that dyed before the comming of Christ for albeit those holy soules had not any thing to be purged yet they could not enter into glory before Christ by his death had opened the gate of eternall life therefore they remained in that higher place called the place of holy Fathers otherwise Abrahams bosome where they suffered no paines at all but enjoyed a sweete repose expecting the comming of our Lord with great joy And so we read in the Gospel that the soule of that poore beggar Lazarus was carried by an Angell to rest in the bosome of Abraham where hee was seene by the rich glutton who burning in flames of hell cast vp his eyes and saw Lazarus in a farre higher place remayning in great joy and consolation enjoying the fruits of his former patience S Into which of these foure partes of Hell did Christ descend after his death M There is no doubt but hee descended into the place of holy Fathers and suddainely made them blessed after led thē with him in to the kingdome of heauē He made himselfe also seene vnto all the other parts of hell terrifying the Diuels as a victorious Triumpher threatning the damned as a supreame Iudge comforting the soules in Purgatorie as their Aduocate and deliuerer So that Christ descended into Hell as a King vseth sometimes to repaire into prisons to visite prisoners and to shew fauour to whom it pleaseth him S If Christ was dead his body did lye in the sepulchre then he did not whollie descend into hell but onely the soule of Christ and how is it then said that Christ descended into hell M Death had force to separate the soule of Christ from his body but it could not separate either the soule or the bodie from the Diuine person of the same Christ And therefore we beleeue that the Diuine person of Christ remained with his bodie in the sepulcre that the same person descēded with his soule into hel Of the fift Article S HOw is it true that our Lord rose from death the third day seeing that from Friday in the euening when he was buried vnto the night before Sunday when hee rose there wanteth of two whole daies M We doe not say that Christ rose after three whole daies but the third daye which is most true For he was buried on Friday which is the first day though not a whole day and so hee remained in the Sepulchre all Saterday and a part of Sundaie which is the third day For the natural day beginning the night before at the setting of the Sunne the first houre after the Sunne-setting is the first of the day following S. For what cause did not Christ rise streight after his death but would expect the third day M Because he would shew that he was truely dead he would remaine there in the graue so long as sufficed to prooue this truth Moreouer I would haue you considder that like as Christ liued amongst men thirtie three or thirty foure yeares so hee would stay amongst the dead at least thirtie three or thirtie foure houres For so many they are if you put together one houre of Friday for hee was buried an houre before Sunne-setting twentie foure houres of the Saturday and eight or nine houres of Sunday For he rose after midnight towards the beginning of the morning S Why is it said of Christ that hee rose and of other dead as of Lazarus and the Widdowes sonne that they were raysed from death M The reason is because Christ being the Son of God rose of himself to wit by vertue of his God-head he reunited his soule to his bodie so began to liue againe But other dead men can not returne to life by their owne power And therefore it is said they were raised by others As we al at the day of Iudgment shal be raised by Christ S Is there anie other difference betwixt the Resurrection of Christ of others which returned to life before him M There is this difference that the others rose mortal therefore they died againe but Christ rose immortal neither can he euer die anie more Of the sixt Article S Now let vs come vnto the sixt article which is of the Ascension I desire to know how long our Sauiour remained vpon earth after his Resurrection and for what cause M He remained fourtie dayes as you may consider by numbring the dayes betwixt the feasts of his Resurection and Ascension And the reason of his so long stay was because he would with manie diuers apparitions establish the Mysterie of his most true Resurrection For that the same seemeth as it were the most hard And he that beleeueth it hath no difficultie to beleeue the rest For he that riseth was certainly dead before And he that was dead was first borne And so he that beleueth the Resurrection of Christ findeth no labour in beleeuing his death and natiuitie And likewise for so much as the earth is not a conuenient place for glorious bodies but heauen therefore he that beleueth the Resurrection of our Sauiour can
are now liuing but also those which haue ben from the beginning and shal be vntil the end of the world And therefore it is not only called one but also Catholike that is to say vniuersal because it is extended to all places and to all times S For what reason is the Church called one onlie if it conteine so great a multitude of men M It is called one onelie because it hath one onlie head which is Christ and his one Vicar in earth the Bishop of Rome and againe because it liueth by one and the same spirit and hath one and the same law As a kingdome is called one because it hath one onlie king and the same lawes though in that kingdome there be manie prouinces manie more Cities or townes S Wherefore is it saide that this Church is holie seeing there are manie wicked men in it M It is called holie for three reasons first because the head there of which is Christ is most holie like as one that hath a fayre faice is said to be a faire man though he haue some crooked finger or some blot on his breast or shoulders Secondly because all faithfull people are holy by faith and profession for they haue one moste true and diuine faith and make profession of the holie Sacraments and of a most iuste law which doth not command any thing but that which is good and forbiddeth nothing but that which is euill Thirdly because there are alwaies in the Church some assuredly good not onely by faith and profession but by vertues and maners also Whereas among Iewes Turkes Heretiks and such like people who are out of the Church none at all can truely be good S What signifyeth the Communion of Saints M It signifyeth that the body of the holie Church is in such sort vnited that of the good of one member all the rest doe participate whereby how many soeuer there bee in farre countries though we do not knowe them yet their Masses diuine offices other prayers and good workes helpe vs also And this Communion is not onely heere vpon earth but our Masses prayers and other good workes helpe those that be in Purgatorie And the prayers of such as are in heauen helpe vs the soules also in Purgatorie S If this be so it needeth not to pray for any in particular nor to procure Masse to be said for this or for that soule in Purgatorie seeing all good is common M It is not so Because Masse praiers and other good workes though they be in some sort cōmon vnto al yet they help more such as they are done for in particular then others S What shall wee say of such as are excommunicated do they also participate of the good workes of the faithfull or no M For this they are called excommunicated because they haue not the communion of the Saints for they are like bowes cut from the tree or like members separated from the bodie which do not enjoy the good humors that are spread amongst the other bowes and vnited members And by this you may gather what account is to be made of excommunication seeing he cannot haue God for his Father that hath not the Church for his Mother S Are then the excommunicated out of the Church as the Iewes and other Infidels be M So it is but there is this difference that the Iewes and Turkes are out of the Church because they neuer entred in being neuer baptised the Heretikes which are baptised and haue lost their faith are out because they are gone foorth and fled away of themselues and therefore the Church enforceth them by diuers punishments to returne vnto the Holy faith As when a sheepe flyeth from the fold the shepheard forceth him with his stafe to returne But other excommunicated which haue baptisme and faith and did enter in and not goe out of themselues are driuen out by force As when the shepheard driueth foorth an infected sheepe and leaueth the same a pray for the Wolfe Yet true it is that the Church driueth not out the excommunicated to the end they should euer remaine out but to the end they should repent of their disobedience and demaund to returne being humbled and so bee receiued againe into the bosome of their mother and to the communion of Saints Of the tenth article S VVHat is signified by the remission of sins which is the tenth article M This is the first of those three principal benefites which are found in the Church For which it is needful to know that al men are borne sinners and enimies to God and after increasing they passe from euil to worse vntil by the grace of God their sinnes be remitted and so become his friends and children This grace which is so great is not found other where thē in the holie church In which are the holie Sacramēts namely Baptisme Penance which as heauenlie medicins curemen of al spiritual diseases which are sinnes S I pray you declare vnto me a little better how great this benifite is of remission of sinnes M In the world is not found a greater euil then sinne is not onely for that al euills in this life and in the life to come do spring from it but also for that sinne is the cause that man becommeth an enemie to God And what can be said worse then to be enimie vnto him who can do al that he wil and none can resist him who can defend him with whom God is angrie And contrariwise in this life a greater good can not be found then to be in grace for who can hurt him whom God defendeth al things being in the hands of God Briefly you know that amongst corporal thinges life is most esteemed because it is the foundation of al other good things and death is most abhorred because it is contrarie vnto life So then seeing sin is the spiritual death of the soule and the remission of sin is the life of the same soule you may easely consider how great a benefit is receiued in the church seeing in it only is the remission of sins Of the eleuenth article S VVHAT meaneth the resurrection of the flesh which is the eleuenth article M This is the second principal benefite of the Holy Church to wit that in the last daye all those whose sins shall be remitted shal returne to life S And others which are out of the Church or haue not remission of their sinnes shall not they returne also to life againe M Touching naturall life all shall returne to liue as the good so the bad but because the resurrection of the bad shall be for their perpetuall torment not for any good to thē therefore that life of theirs is called rather a death then a true life so the true resurrection to wit vnto life worthy to be desired shall not be of any but of the good which shall be found without sinne S I would know if the same bodies which wee now haue shall
worthy of honour for that she hath in her selfe but for that also which is in the fruit of her wombe Because the praise of the fruite redoundeth to the tree and the glorie of the child redoundeth to the mother And because Iesus is not onlie true man and blessed amongst men but is also God blessed aboue all things as S. Paul teacheth vs therefore his mother is not onely blessed amongst women but shee is blessed amongst all the creatures as well in earth as in heauen S Declare vnto me I pray you that which remaineth of the Aue Maria. M In the words following the holy Church repeating the principall praise of our Ladie which is to bee the mother of God and so shewing that she can obtain of the same God what shee pleaseth desireth her to make intercession for vs who haue great need thereof being sinners that she help vs while we liue and in particular at the poynt of death when we shal be in greatest danger S I would gladly know wherefore it ring to the Aue Maria three times in the day to wit in the morning at midday and in the euening M To the end we may vnderstand that we haue need to make recourse often to the helpe of God and of the Saints being in the middest of enemies visible inuisible And that we ought not to thinke it sufficient to haue recourse to the armour of praier in the beginning of our works but that we must do the same in the progresse and in the end There is also an other mysterie in this ringing thrise to the Aue Maria. That is holie Church would haue vs continually to remember the three principal mysteries of our RedemptioÌ„ the Incarnation the Passion and the Resurrection And therfore willeth that wee salute our B. Ladie in the morning in memorie of the Resurrection of our lord at midday in memorie of the passion at night in memory of the Incarnation Because as we are certaine that our Lord was mayled on the Crosse at midday rose in the morning so it is probably thought that the Incarnation was in the night Cap. VI. The declaration of the ten Commandements S HAuing now vnderstood the Creede and the Pater noster with the Aue Maria I desire that you would declare vnto mee the ten commandements of the law of God for that this is the third principall part of the christian doctrine as you told me in the beginning M You haue reason to desire to learne to vnderstand well the ten coÌ„mandements of the law of god be cause that faith and hope without charity without obseruing of the â—aw are not sufficient to saluation S What is the cause that seing in the world in the Church there are so many lawes and commandements this lawe of the Commandements is preferred before all the rest M Many reasons may be alleadged concerning the excellencie of this law First for that this law was made by God written by himselfe first of all in the hearts of men afterwards in twotables of stone secondly because this is most ancient lawe of all others as the fountain of all the rest Thirdly because this is most vniuersal law that is to be found for it bindeth not onely Christians but Iewes also Gentils aswell men as wemen aswell rich as poore aswell Princes as priuate men aswell the learned as the ignoraÌ„t Fourthly because this law is immutable caÌ„not be taken away nor dispensed withal by any Fiftly because it is necessary to euery one to saluation as our lord hath often taught vs in his holy gospel lastly bceause it was promulgat with greatest solemnity in mount Sinay with sound of Angelical truÌ„pets with great thunder and lightning from heauen in the presence of al the people of God S Before you come to the declaration of the commandementes in particular it would be gratful to me to vnderstand briefly the summe and order of them M The end of al the commandementes is the loue of God and of our neighbour for they al teach vs not to offend God nor our neighbour and for this cause they are diuided into two partes and were written as I haue already said in two tables of stone The first part contayneth three commandementes which instruct vs of the bond wee haue to God The second containeth seuen other precepts which teach vs the bond we haue to our neighbour But you must know that albeit in one table there were no more then three precepts in the other seaueÌ„ yet the two tables were equall and both full written for the three first were written with more words and the other seauen with fewer and so the seauen shorter precepts were equal touching the writing vnto the three longer S Wherefore are the Commandements of the first table three M Because they teach vs to loue God with hart with tongue with worke S Why are the commandementes of the second table seauen M Because one teacheth vs to do good to our neighbour the other six teach vs to do him no euil First in his person after in his honour lastly in his goodes And that neither in thought worde nor deede S Let vs now come vnto the commandementes them selues And first shew mee the wordes where with they were writen by God in those tables M The wordes are these I am the Lord thy God which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt from the house of seruitude 1 Thou shalt not haue strange Gods in my sight 2 Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vaine 3 Remember that thou sanctifie the Sabbaoth day 4 Honour thy father thy mother 5 Thou shalt not murder 6 Thou shalt not commit adultrie 7 Thou shalt not steale 8 Thou shalt not beare false witnes against thy neighbour 9 Thou shalt not desire thy neighbours wife 10 Thou shalt not couet the neighbours goods S What meane those wordes which goe before the commandementes M In those words are yelded foure reasons to shew that God can geue a law and that we are bounde to obserue it The first reason is in the word I am the Lord because God being our chief and highest Lord who hath created vs of nothing he may doubtles geue vs a law as to his proper seruants The second is in that word God because that word signifieth that our Lord is not only Lord or Maister but he is also supreme Iudge and gouernour and as such a one can geue a law and punish those that obserue it not The third is in that word thine because besides the bond which we haue to obey God as seruants their maister and as subiects their Prince we haue an other bond by reason of the packt which God doth make with vs and we with him in holie Baptisme For therein God taketh vs for his owne adopted children and we take him for our proper Father as God also taketh all the faithfull for his
particular people and the faithfull take God for their owne proper God and Lord. The fourth is in those wordes which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt out of the house of seruitude for that besides so manie other bondes there is this of gratitude for that God hath deliuered vs from the seruitude of the diuel of sin which was signifyed by that seruitude of Egipt and of Pharao from the which the same God deliuered the people of the Iewes S Declare vnto mee now the first commandement M The first Commandement containeth three parts The first is that we ought to haue God for God The second that we must not take any other thing for God The third that wee must not make Idols to wit statues or Images taking them for Gods and that we must not adore the same Idols S Declare vnto me the first part M God will be taken for that which he is to wit for true God which is done by exercising foure vertues towards his diuine Majestie to wit Faith Hope Charitie and Religion Hee that beleeueth in God taketh God for God because he taketh him for the chiefe veritie and in this the Heretiks do sinne for they doe not beleeue in him Hee that hopeth in God taketh God for God for that he holdeth him for most faithful most pittifull and also most potent confidently considering that he can and wil help him in al his necessities in this poynt those do sin that despaire of the mercy of god or do trust more in men thē in god or so much in mē as in God he that loueth god aboue all thinges taketh God for God for that hee taketh him for the chiefe goodnesse and in this poynt those do sin that loue any creature whatsoeuer more then god or equal with God And much more doe they sin that hate God Finallie whosoeuer adoreth god with greatest reuerence as the vertue of Religion teacheth vs taketh god for god for he taketh him for the first beginning and author of all things and in this poynt they offend that beare small respect to God and to thinges consecrated vnto him as Churches hallowed vessels Priestes and the like and those also that honour men equally with God or more then God S Declare I praye you the second part of this commandement M In the second part God willeth and commandeth that wee take no created thing for God And in this the Gentils offended in olde time who not knowing the true God did take and adore for God diuers creatures as the Sunne the Moone or some dead men In the same Inchanters Witches offend and al Sorcerers Negromancers and Soothsayers who gaue to the diuel of hell that honour which is due onely to God some of them take him and adore him for their God and thinke by his meanes to fore-tell things to come or to find treasures or to attain vnto other their dishonest desires For the diuel being deadly enemy to all mankinde deceiueth often this poore sort of people and with vaine hopes causeth thē to commit many sins in the end to loose their souls and many times their bodies also S Declare to me the third part M In the third parte God doeth command that not only we take not the things created by him for God as hath ben saide but that much lesse wee make to our selues any thing to take it adore it for God Wherein the Gentils offended who were so blinde that they made Idols to wit statues of Gold or of siluer or of wood or of stone and made it be thought that they were Gods Chiefly because the diuels some-times entred into them and caused them to speake or to mooue themselues so they sacrificed vnto them and adored them And because the holy Martirs would not in any wise do the same they put them to death with moste cruell torments S Is there any thing else in this commandement M There is annexed by God a terrible threatning to those that doe contrarie to this commandemēt a great promise to those that obserue it For after the giuing of the commandemēt God spake those words I am a jealous God who punish not only those that loue me not but their posteritie also vnto the fourth generation and shewe mercie to those that loue me vnto a thousand generations Where marke well that our Lorde saith that he is a jealouse God to the ende wee may vnderstande that he can punish most grieuously because hee is God and that he will punish most grieuously because he is jealous of his honour and of justice and of right and therefore cannot beare with impietie and iniquitie Which is against those that sinne continually yet liue merily as if God had no care therof But by this you see God hath care wil shew it when time is S What meane thit that God punisheth such as do euil vnto the fourth generation and giueth rewarde vnto those that doe well vnto a thousand generations M God punisheth vnto the fourth generation for that for the most part a man doth not liue longer then to see the children of his Nephewes or at the moste the Nephewes to his Nephewes he will not punish others of his posteritie then the sinner himselfe may see But in doing well God extended himselfe not only vnto the fourth generation but vnto a thousande if there were so manie For that our Lord is more inclined to reward then to punish because that hee rewardeth is of his owne goodnesse and therefore hee doth it very willingly but that hee punisheth any it commeth of our sinne and therefore hee doth it as it were perforce to wit vrged by our peruersenesse S Wherefore is this threat and this promise joyned to the first commandement onely M Because this is the principall commandement of more importance then the rest Againe for that it is the first and so being spoken of the first it may be vnderstood also of the rest S I desire to know how the honour which wee giue to Saints and their Reliques and Images is not against this commandement For it seemeth that wee adore all these things seeing we kneele vnto them and praye vnto them as we do vnto God M The holie Church is the spouse of God and hath the holy Ghost for her master And therefore there is no danger that she should be deceiued or that she should doe or teach others to do any thing that were against the commandements of God And to come to the particular wee doe honour and call vpon Saintes as friends of God who can helpe vs with their merits and prayers before him but wee doe not take them for gods neither adore them as God neither importeth it that we knele because this reuerance is not proper to God alone but is done also vnto creatures of high dignitie as to the Pope and in manie places religious persons kneele vnto their Superiours So that it is no maruel
each one would be cōtent with his own not couet that belōgeth to an other ther should neuer be war nor discorde S What bee the vices contrarie to Iustice M They are two One is Iniustice that is when one taketh that which belongeth to an other or in cōtracts giueth lesse then he ought or taketh more then is due to him The other is too much justice that is whē one is too rigorous wreasteth things by pretence of justice more seueerely then reason requireth For in some cases it is necessarie that compassion bee mixed with justice As if a poore man can not pay all he oweth presently without his great losse or damage it is a reasonable thing and just that he haue a litle time graunted him and to denie him the same is to great rigour S What is Fortitude and what is the office thereof M It is a vertue which maketh vs ready to ouercom al difficulties that would otherwise hinder vs frō doing wel it reacheth euen to suffering death whē it is necessary for the glorie of god or for performing our duty so al holy martirs haue triūphed ouer their persecutors by this vertue in like maner al valiāt soldiars which in iust wars haue made so great proofe of their valour haue become glorious by the same vertue S what be vices cōtrary to fortitude M They are cowardlines audacious temeritie For cowardlines maketh one to yeeld too easely Which cōmeth of the lacke of fortitude audatious temeritie maketh one put himselfe in danger when there is no need Which so to tearme it is too much fortitude And it deserueth no praise but blame and therefore is no vertue but a vice S What is Temperance and what is the office thereof M Temperance is a vertue that bridleth sensuall delights maketh a man to content himselfe with such pleasures and in that measure as reason alloweth S What are the vices contrarie to Temperance M They are Intemperance and Insensibility Intemperance is when one is too much giuen to delights and therefore committeth excesses in eating and such thinges as doe hurt both the soule and the bodie Insensibilitie is when a man vseth the other extreame and so flyeth all pleasures that he wil not eate things necessarie for his health to auoyd that little delectation which conuenient meats doe naturally bring But the vice of intēperance is much more common amongst men then the vice of insensibilitie And therefore all holie men by word and example haue exhorted vs to fasting to mortification of the flesh Cap. XIII Of the seauen gifts of the Holie Ghost S VVHich be the seuen gifts of the Holie Ghost M They are those which the Prophet Isaie hath taught vs to wit Wisdome Vnderstanding Counsaile Fortitude Knowledge Pietie and the Feare of our Lord. S Whereto do these gifts help vs M To attaine to the perfection of Christian life For they are as the ladder by which wee clime vp from the state of sinne by diuers degrees euen to the highest of sanctitie But you must knowe that the Prophet numbreth these steppes comming downwards For he did see as it were a ladder which came from Heauen Neuertheles we will recoont the ascending as going vpwards ascending from earth to heauen The first degree then is the Feare of our lord which doth terrifie a sinner whē he thinketh that he hath God almighty his enemiet the second degree is Pietie For he that feareth punishment which God threatneth against a sinner beginneth to become godlie desireth to obey and serue God and to worke his holie will in all things The thirde degree is Knowledge for that hee vvho desireth to vvorke the vvill of God demaundeth of God that he will teach him his holie commandements God partly by Preachers partly by books partly by inwarde inspirations teacheth him all that is necessarie The fourth degree is Fortitude for hee that knoweth and is willing in all thinges to serue God findeth many difficulties tentatiōs of the world the flesh the diuel And therefore god at that time of need giueth him the gift of Fortitude that he may ouercome al difficulties The fift degree is Counsell for when the diuell cannot preuaile by force he turneth himself to decepts and vnder pretence of good prouoketh the just man to fall yet God doth not abandon him but giueth him the gift of Counsell by which he preuaileth against the deceipts of the enemy the sixt is the gift of Vnderstāding for when a mā is wel exercised in actiue life and hath had many victories against the diuel god doth draw him exalt him to contemplatiue life and with the gifte of vnderstanding maketh him to vnderstande and penitrate diuine Mysteries The seauenth is the gift of Wisdome which is the cōplement of perfection For he is wise that knoweth the first cause of all thinges and according thereto formeth al his actions which none can doe but hee that joyneth perfect charitie to the gift of vnderstanding For by the vnderstanding he knoweth the first cause and by charitie hee directeth and disposeth all thinges vnto it as vnto the last ende And because wisdome joyneth the affection to vnderstanding therefore it is called wisdome that is sauorie knowledge as Saint Barnard teacheth vs. Cap. XIIII Of the eight beatitudes S VVHat are the eight beatitudes which our Lord taught vs in the Gospel M They are an other ladder to clime vnto perfection like vnto that of the gifts of the Holie Ghost For that in seauen sentences are conteyned seauen degrees to arriue vnto beatititude And lastly the eight doth geue vs a signe to know whether a man haue ascended vp these degrees or no. S Declare vnto mee this ladder briefly M Christ our Lord in the three first degrees teacheth vs to take away the impediments of perfection whereby we ascend vnto felicitie The generall and ordinarie impediments are three the desire of goods of honors and pleasures So Christ saith in the first degree that the poore in spirit are blessed that is those who willingly dispise goods In the second he saith that the meeke are blessed that is those that geue place to all not resisting those that put themselues before and thrust them behinde In the third he saith that those are blessed that weepe that is those that seeke not the delights and pleasures of the world but attend to do penance and to be waile their sinnes In other two degrees he teacheth vs the perfection of the actiue life which consisteth in fulfilling all that wee are bound vnto by iustice and by charitie Therefore he saith in the fourth degree that those are blessed that hunger and thirst iustice And in the fift he saith that the mercifull are blessed In the last two he draweth vs to perfection of the contemplatiue life and therfore he saith in the sixt that they are blessed that haue a cleane hart for they shall see God that is they shall
exercised in the vertues of meekenesse and of patience considering the examples of holie men and of Christ himselfe who by supporting and suffering haue triumphed more gloriouslie then worldly men do by endeuoring to be reuenged of their enemies S What is Sloath what sinnes produceth it what is the remedie against it M Sloath is called in Greeke Acidia signifyeth tediousnes loathsomnes and griefe to doe well And it is a mortal sinne when one giueth taketh loathsomnes to do well is displeased for that he is bound to obserue the cōmandements of God and to walke in the way of vertue The sinnes which he produceth are light esteeming the commaundements easelie yeelding him selfe to vices desperation of wel-doing hatred and dislike of such as would draw or force a sinner to leaue sinne and to take a good way The remedie is neuer to be idle to read good bookes to consider the great reward which God promiseth to those that are diligent and obseruing his commandements and the eternall and intollerable punishments which is prouided for the negligent Cap. XX. Of the sinnes against the Holie Ghost VVHat how many be the sinnes against the Holie Ghost M They are sixe to wit despaire of our saluation presumption to bee saued without merits to impugne the knowen truth enuie at an other mans grace obstinacie in sinne and finall impenitence S Wherefore are they called sinnes against the Holie Ghost M Because they are committed vpon meere malice and speacially the third which is of all other properly a sinne against the Holie Ghost that is when a man knoweth the truth and yet will obstinatly hold and proue that it is not true To sin of malice is said to be against the Holie Ghost because goodnes is attributed to the Holie Ghost which is contrarie to malice like as to sinne of ignorance is said to be against the Son of God to whome wisdome is atributed and sinning of frailtie is said to be against the Father to whom power is attributed S What haue these sinnes proper M They haue this that they are not pardoned in this world nor in the other as our Lord admonisheth vs in the Gospel Which yet is thus vnderstood that they are hard to be pardoned because seldom hardly those that fal into these sinnes come to true repentance like as when wee say a disease is incurable we will not for all that say it can not be cured by anie meanes but that it is seldome cured or that ordinarily it is not cured Chap. XXI Of sinnes that crie vnto Heauen S HOw manie are they what bee the sinnes which crie vnto Heauen M They are four to wit wilful murder carnall sinnes against nature oppression of the poore and chiefly of orphans and widowes and to defraud workmen of their wages S Wherefore is it said that they crie to Heauen M Because the iniustice of these sinnes is so maniefest that it can not be couered or hidden by anie means Chap. XXII Of The foure last things S I Would haue some general document to flie sinne M The wise man saith Remember thou the last things and thou wilt neuer sinne The last things are foure Death the Generall Iudgement Hell and Heauen S Wherfore are these foure things called the last M Because death is the end of life and the last thing which is to happen in this world Finall iudgement is the last of all the iudgments that are to be geuen and therfore there is no appealing from it Hell is the last euil that melefactours are to haue and they are to remaine therin for euer without possibilitie euer to change Heauen is the last good which the good are to haue they are neuer to lose it S I would haue some considerations to exercise my self in these last things for that remembring my self often of them I should neuer sinne as the wise man saith whom you alleaged M Concerning death you may consider these four points First that death is most certaine and none can escape it The second that the houre of death is vncertaine and manie die when they least thinke of it The third that in death all the designments of this life do end and then the vanitie of the world appeareth The fourth that at their death euerie one repenteth the euill he hath done and the omission of good which he might haue done therfore it is great folie to do that wherof we are sure to repent vs. Touching Iugement you may consider these points First that the iudgement shal be geuen of a most important matter to wit of the chiefest good or the greatest euil Secondly it shal be geuen by the highest Iudge who knoweth all things and whom none can resist Thirdly it shall bee geuen in the presence of the whole world where none can hide themselues Fourthly there wil be no hope to flie the sentene or the execution of Gods Iustice Concerning Hell consider that it is large long high and deepe Large for that it conteyneth all the paines that can bee imagined Long for that they are eternall High for that they are all most bitter in the highest degree Depe because they are all absolute paynes without mixture of anie sort of consolation Concerning Heauen consider in like maner that it is large for that it conteyneth all the goodnes that can be imagined and more also then we can imagine or desire It is long because all those Beatitudes are eternal It is high because they are most high and noble It is deepe because they are pure good without any mixture of euill And here you may adde that the commodities of this life haue no one of these conditions for that they are few short little and alwaies mixed with vexations and troubles of mind And likewise the euils of this world are few short litle and alwaies tempered with some consolation Wherupon you are to conclude that all those haue truly lost their wittes that for loue of the commodities of this life or for feare of present tribulations lose the happines or fall into the euils of the world to come FINIS A Table of the Chapters and principall contents of this booke VVHat Christian Doctrine is and what are the principall partes thereof pag. 1 The declaration of the vsuall blessing with the signe of the Crosse 5 The declaration of the Creede 13 And first of the first Article 20 Of the second 20 Of the third 24 Of the fourth 29 Of the fifth 40 Of the sixt 43 Of the seauenth 44 Of the eight 53 Of the ninth 57 Of the tenth 68 Of the eleuenth 64 Of the twelfth 71 The declaration of our Lords prayer 77 The declaration of the Aue Maria. 105 The declaration of the ten command 111 And first of the first commandement 117 Of the second 130 Of the third 145 Of the fourth 148 Of the fifth 152 Of the sixt 156 Of the seuenth 159 Of the eight 147 Of the ninth 253 Of the tenth 168 Declaratiō of the precepts of the church 201 Declaration of Euangelical counsell 276 Declaration of the Sacramēts of the church 279 Of the Sacrament of Baptisme 215 Of the Sacrament of Confirmation 293 Of the Sacrament of the Eucharist 294 Of the Sacrament of Penance 241 Of the Sacrament of Extreme Vnctiō 217 Of the Sacrament of Order 220 Of the Sacrament of Matrimonie 220 Of vertues in generall 258 Of the Theologicall vertues 231 Of the cardinall vertues 221 Of the seauen gifts of the Holy Ghost 237 Of the eight Beatitudes 240 Of the seauen works of mercy corporall spirituall 253 A declaration of vices sins in general 284 Of mortall and venall sinne 254 Of Original sinne 259 Of the seuen capital sinne 296 Of the sinnes against the Holie Ghost 243 Of sinnes that crie to heauen 270 Of the foure last things 312 FINIS * Likewise beginning the day at mid-night our Sauiour rising as he did after mid-night rose the third day * Counting the day to end at Sunne-setting Or if you count to midnight there was more of Fridaye and some part of Sunday * Fridaye is also Fasting daye where custome so bindeth as it doth in England